Life as a travel therapist can take you all across the U.S. to treat patients and make a positive impact in the lives of others. With summertime right around the corner and a high demand for skilled therapy workers, there are eight top national destinations with job assignments for any therapy specialty.
Who can become a travel therapist?
Travel therapists are healthcare professionals who work short-term job contracts at facilities across the country. Typically 13 weeks long, travel therapy assignment settings range from rural health centers to big city hospitals, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation centers, and other health facilities.
These professional travelers have a unique set of skills and in-depth healthcare knowledge to enhance patient recovery and long-term care. The most well-known types of travel therapists include:
- Physical therapist (PT). PTs are responsible for a wide variety of patient care. Focused on patient movement, physical therapists help facilitate treatments that allow patients to live their best lives.
- Occupational therapist (OT). Centered around patient skills and daily living activities, OTs help people do the things they want and need to do using therapeutic methods.
- Speech language pathologist (SLP). Experts in communication, SLPs assist kids and adults with language, social communication, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders.
- Certified occupational therapist assistant (COTA). COTAs wear many hats in the healthcare industry, but their overall goal is to help patients learn skills to help them function. COTAs also assist their supervisors with recording and reporting data, plus other administrative tasks.
- Physical therapist assistant (PTA). Under the supervision of a PT, PTAs provide aid to clients recovering from illnesses and injury to help them regain movement and manage their pain.
Regardless of the specialty, travel therapists work toward the same goal: overall patient wellbeing. The travel therapy industry is still making a comeback after the coronavirus pandemic and Medicare expansions, and continues to grow in high demand.
Eight U.S. summer destinations for travel therapy assignments
While there are many desirable locations to travel to in the U.S., these are the top eight destinations for travel therapy jobs:
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California.
From perfect weather to world-class beaches, California offers many job opportunities for allied health professionals. With a population of almost 40 million people, there is plenty of jobs and locations for your to score that perfect travel therapy assignment.
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Texas
Everyone knows everything is bigger in Texas, including the job market for traveling therapists. Texas is full of large cities and American history so when you’re not treating Texans, you can explore the Alamo or explore Big Bend National Park.
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New York
As one of the most popular states in the country, New York is a hot spot for travel therapists. Since there are nearly 5 million citizens in the state, there is an active need for professional healthcare therapists, depending on your specialty and where you are in New York.
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Massachusetts
Known as the landing place for the Mayflower and the Pilgrims, Massachusetts is also full of a wide variety of travel therapy jobs. When you’re not working, it’s a great place to run or hike outdoors, eat fresh clam chowder, or enjoy the arts.
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Iowa
Ranked in the top five for healthcare, Iowa offers opportunities to all travel therapists alike. From state parks to charming restaurant diners, Iowa is ideal for travelers who prefer the quiet life.
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Washington
Known for the Space Needle and Olympic National Park, Washington offers breathtaking scenery and outdoor activities like water rafting or whale watching.
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Maryland
If you’re looking to check off boxes for available therapy jobs, reasonable pay, and the beautiful outdoors, Maryland might be your next best destination. From historical landmarks to theme parks and sports games, there’s a lot to do to stay entertained on your off days.
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South Dakota
If you visit South Dakota, you can’t leave without seeing Mount Rushmore and Badlands National Park. With ample therapy job assignments, South Dakota offers a variety of opportunities and specialties to work in.
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No matter where the travel therapy life takes you, it’s up to you to make the most of it. Recent Saint Augustine University graduate and traveling physical therapist, Austin Vidrine, offered his advice to other allied health travelers, “Always be open to new opportunities and new settings,” he said. “Be flexible and not rigid. Follow the market and be smart with your money.”
Fusion Marketplace makes it easy for you to find your next travel therapy job location
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the therapy market to grow between 16 and 32 percent from 2019 to 2029, depending on the therapy specialty. As the demand for more allied health professionals increases, travel therapy workers will continue to use their unique healthcare skills to improve the lives of patients across the country.
Fusion Marketplace is the future of healthcare staffing. This user-friendly online tool was built for travel healthcare professionals; it streamlines the application process to offer healthcare professionals a custom career experience with more visibility.
Fusion Marketplace puts you in control of securing your dream job, wherever that may be. Effortlessly search for your next travel assignment based on agency, shift type, state, and more filters to match your next career placement.
Finding your next travel therapy job with Fusion Marketplace
The first step to Marketplace is creating a travel profile. Here, you can upload your licenses and certifications, share employment history, and add references, along with other important information. With a traveler profile, you only have to input your necessary credentials one time, then use your profile information to apply for therapy jobs across the country to accelerate your career.
Whether you’re in search of your very first travel assignment or you’re an experienced healthcare traveler, Fusion Marketplace helps you market yourself as a healthcare professional to open doors to nationwide career opportunities with complete agency, job, and pay transparency. Making the unknowns known, Marketplace gives you the power to decide what’s best for you.
